Collapsible bag



Feb. 16 1926. 1,573,721

C. H. LOEFFLER COLLAPS IBLE BAG Filed August 24, 1925 [7 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

I UNITED STATES" PATENT orrlcs. a

H I owns u. wanna, or naooxnnw, NEW roan.

' oonmsnim and.

.a nmm am: August a, 1925. semi No. 58,846.

To all who?!) it-mayconcem:

Be it knownthat I, Cnxnms H. Lommm, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventeda new and Improved Collapsible Bag, of which the following is a fu l, clear, and exact description.

. This invention relates to collapsible bagsand I would have it'understood that I employ thistitle in its broadest sense to include hand bags, hat, boxes, suit cases or any other analogous container.

An object of-the invention is to provide a bag or-box ofthis character which may be readily collapsed. so as to occupy but a small spacein a trunk or other container and which can be readily expanded when desired for use, and when expanded will present a sheet of attractive appearance.

It fre 'uently happens that travellers desire to ta e short trips and need only a hand bag or hat box, and by the provision of a device such as I have invented, the article can be conveniently carried in a small space and can be removed and expanded for use as occasion may require.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, which will be more full hereinafter described and pointed out Figure 2 is a perspective view, showing the bag or box collapsed;

- Figure 3 is an enlarged view in longitudi' nal section through the bag or box when expanded;

Figure 4 1s a view similar to Figure 3, showing the bag or box partially collapsed;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in section on the line 5-5. of Figure 3.

My improved bag or box comprises a body portion 1 having a cover 2 preferably hinged thereto at one edge and having suitable fasteners at its other edge to secure the cover in closed position. v

The invention is of course not limited to the mounting of the cover nor to the manner of securing the same, but I have shown the cover connected by hinges 3 to the body and having straps 4 which engage buckles 5 and secure the cover in closed position. The box is also preferably provided at one side or end with a handle 6 to facilitate the-carrying of the same. I

The body 1 is preferably formed with upper and lower rectangular or other shaped frames 7 and 8, over which the collapsible material 9' constituting the outer material of the body is secured in any approved manner. A suitable lining 10 18 secured to the inner face of the-frames 7 and Sand may also cover the bottom of the body, as clearly shown.

At both sides or ends of the body or box I provide improved coupling means between the upper and lower frames 7 and 8, and as these coupling means at the opposite sides or ends of the body are precisely alike, :1 getail description of one will apply alike to ,Two pairs of links 11 and 12 are spaced apart a desired distance and are pivotally connected as shown at 13. These links when the bag is in expanded condition are disposed vertically, and the upper ends of the links 11 are pivotally connected to the frame 7, as shown at 14.

The lower ends of the links 12 are pivotally connected to the frame 8, as shown at 15, and stop pins 16 are secured to the respective frames 7 and 8 and limit the pivotal movement of the links 11. and 12 in a direction to expand the body. In other words, these pins prevent an over movement of the links which would tend to collapse the body.

Also the links 12 are made with recesses 17 receiving pins 18 on the links 11 to prevent said links from moving in one direction past the vertical. A coil spring 19 connects the two links 11 and tends to force the pivots 13 toward each other in a movement to collapse the body.

To prevent this collapse I provide spring catches 20, each of which has a supporting bracket 21 secured to the frame 8 and is formed with a horizontal spring tongue having a laterally offset shoulder 22, back of which the links 12 are adapted to engage when the body is in its expanded position, as shown in detail in Figure 5.

To release the links 12 from the catches 20 1' provide short strings or flexible members 23 which are secured to the catches 20 and twig through the lining 10 so that he are in convenient position to be given a all in a direction to release the links 12 w en 1 'Jdescribed,'including a body having a'. flexible wall, upperand lowerv frames secured to the; plete collapsing action, however, is accomthe springs 19 will exert a pull on the links 11 and tend to collapse the bag. The complished only by pressure on one of 'the frames '5 and 8 relative to the other to bring the bag to the shape shown in Figure 2.

To expand the bag it is simply necessary to'draw the upper portion of the bag away from the lower portion, the links -11 and 12 moving to the position shown in Figure 3, and the catches 20 will function automatically to lock and hold the links in this position.

Various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form of the parts described without departing "from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth hut'consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible device of the character described, including a body having a flexible wall, upper and lower frames secured to the body, two pairs of pivoted links located at opposite sides of the body connecting the frames and located in vertical alinement when holding the device expanded, a coil spring connecting the links oi? the respective pairs and exerting pressure in a direction to pivot the links and collapse the device, laterally movable catches on one of the frames normally engaging the links and holding them against movement by the springs and said catches adapted to be manually moved ava-mi spring to collapse the device. 1 t '21 collapsible device of. the character hody, pivotedlinks connecting the" frames springs connecting one pair of links an laterally release the links and allow the tending to move the links in a direction to collapse the body, spring catches secured to one of the frames and having laterally ofl'set portions constituting which certain of the links are adapted to engage when the body is expanded to hold said body in expanded form, and devices secured to said catches and projecting into the body and adapted to he moved in a direction to draw the catches laterally and release the links. t

3. A collapsible device of the character described, including a body having a flexible I v wall, upper and lower frames secured to the body, pivoted linksconnec-t ng the frames,

springs connecting one pair of links and tending to move the links in a direction to collapse the body, spring catches secured to one of the frames and having laterally ofi'set portions consituting seats behind which certain of the links are adapted to engage when the body is expanded, to hold said-body in expanded form, devices. secured .to said catches and projecting into the, body and adapted to be moved in a direction to draw the catches laterally andrelease the links, and a lining secured to the frames and covering the links and cooperating parts and through which said catch operating devices projected.

CHARLE iii. EZQEFFLEB.

shoulders behind 

